Racing: Timaru Stakes the target

Hold It Harvey will attempt to win the listed Timaru Stakes at Riccarton for the third successive year on Saturday after a change of plan.

Terri Rae, his Riccarton trainer, had planned to start Hold It Harvey in the $200,000 Thorndon Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday.

"It is mainly the weather. He [Hold It Harvey] is not as good in wet ground and with the track at Trentham having been irrigated and rain forecast for Saturday, we decided against the trip," Rae said.

The switch to the $45,000 Timaru Stakes (1400m) ruled out Jamie Bullard riding Hold It Harvey as he had taken the ride on El Chico.

Daniel Stackhouse has been engaged for Hold It Harvey, who has 57.5kg, 0.5kg more than he carried to win the race last year with Bullard the rider.

Natasha Collett rode Hold It Harvey to win in 2009.

Sam Spratt, who had been engaged to ride Hold It Harvey in the Thorndon, has taken the mount on Irish Opera, trained by Stephen McKee.

Spratt rode the McKee-trained Mufhasa to win the $1 million Telegraph Handicap last Saturday.

Irish Opera was a last-start winner over 1600m at Pukekohe with Leith Innes the rider.

Opie Bosson has been engaged for The Meista, last-start winner of the Timaru Cup with Ashlee Mundy the rider.

Mark Du Plessis has retained the ride on Fears Nothing, whom he rode to win the Rich Hill Mile at Ellerslie on January 1.

Vinnie Colgan now rides topweight Red Ruler.

The former Gai Waterhouse-trained galloper Joku was listed as an $18 chance for the Thorndon.

Joku, who drew well at five, is now trained by Jim Litt at Hawera.

Joku will be ridden by Trudy Thornton.

Melbourne jockey Michelle Payne will stay with Eileen Dubh, who finished sixth in the Telegraph Handicap (1200m) last Saturday.

The Wellington Racing Club has appointed a panel to assist with track management at Trentham following the controversial irrigation of the track last week.

A track rated slow was the outcome last Saturday for the $1 million Telegraph Handicap.

The committee comprises Wayne Guppy, WRC committee member and chair of the WRC property committee; Ron Dixon, earth moving contractor and former WRC president; Garry Foskett, NZ Thoroughbred Racing national venue inspector and Chris Allen, track manager of the Awapuni and Otaki tracks.

The role of the panel is to make decisions regarding track preparation within 72 hours of race day.

"This doesn't mean we will never water the Trentham track within 72 hours of a race meeting, rather that we will assist Lyn Biddle [Trentham track manager] where he requires counsel," Guppy said.

The Victorian-trained, Chateauneuf Dupape, has been installed a $7.50 third favourite for the $1 million Karaka Million at Ellerslie on Sunday, NZPA reports.

Chateauneuf Dupape, trained by Lee Freedman, drew favourably for the 2yr-old 1200m feature with barrier five.

The TAB made Planet Rock the $3.50 favourite, ahead of Super Easy at $5.50.

Chateauneuf Dupape, by former star New Zealand sprinter Darci Brahma, finished third behind Redangelo at his latest run, at Flemington on Saturday.

Planet Rock, trained by Peter and Dawn Williams at Riccarton, finished second behind Super Easy at her first start at Trentham before beating a good field at Ellerslie on January 15.

Super Easy, trained by Jon Sargent at Matamata, is also by Darci Brahma.

Sydney jockey Hugh Bowman has the mount on the the Sargent-trained Savabill, a $10 chance, who drew the outside barrier (18).